Memories of Byrd

My Father, Byrd Warwick Davenport, by Mary Davenport Nelson

Maybe it’s not fair for the youngest of 3 to be the one to write about their father. After all, I’m sure he was the most lenient with me. You have to understand, he came from a family of 5 boys and for a while 2 girl cousins. From what I understand his upbringing was quite strict. This was related to me by my mother, Alice, who talked about having quiet, serious dinners at the Davenport table.

She loved Byrd, but Roswell provided needed comic relief by playing footsie under the table.

Byrd was serious about many things and our table manners had to be perfect- no leaning back in the chairs or elbows on the table. Duty was an important word in our house. Mother lightened things by tossing him his hot morning toast the length of the table. We loved it and so did he.

Byrd was handsome, athletic, artistic, and so smart and talented that he could fix anything that needed fixing, or build a new one. He built at least two sailboats and then a perfect model of the ketch, Dauntless, on which we had many wonderful adventures. He even built us a playhouse where we could be in our own world away from the adults. When he and mother added on to our house he hand made the shingles for the roof. UNHEARD OF!

Byrd took up ceramics in the 1970s and turned our outdoor fireplace into a gas kiln. He was a master and his family prizes his work.

I loved being with my father. I spent many hours in the basement with him, holding and fetching tools while he worked on his projects. It was a pleasure even for a little girl.